The Colgate hockey team has already beaten Ferris State two out of three times this season, but that was just a warmup for the action Friday that really counts.

The third-seeded Raiders (20-13-5) travel to Cincinnati to meet the No. 2 Bulldogs (28-10-3) at 4:30 p.m. Friday in the first round of the NCAA Division I Tournament. The winner will take on either top-seeded Wisconsin or fourth-seeded North Dakota in the regional final 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. The regional champion then advances to the Frozen Four.

Colgate is making its first tournament appearance since 2005 and fifth overall after earning an at-large bid on Sunday. The Raiders sit at No. 12 in both the USCHO National Poll and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine National Poll.

Colgate is led by Don Vaughan, who was named ECAC Hockey Coach of the Year for the second time in his career this season. Vaughan led his team to a second-place finish after being picked ninth in preseason and had a career best seven-
game improvement from last season. Colgate had six wins in league in 2012-13 and improved to 13 this season.

Goalie Charlie Finn was named All-ECAC third team and the top goalie for the all-rookie squad. Captain Spiro Goulakos joined him on the third team and the junior from Montreal was also a selection on the all-tournament team last weekend.

Tyson Spink joined Goulakos on the all-tournament team after scoring the double-OT gamewinner against Quinnipiac in the semifinals.

Colgate is one of the youngest teams in the country with 17 rookies and sophomores. The Raiders have only two seniors on the squad and four rookies have played 25 or more games.